How matrix fits the monomyth and plato's allegory of the cave.

About the plato's allegory of the cave, The main essence of the Allegory is that, since no one is fully enlightened and knowledgeable about the Form of Good, or the Sun, that no one can perceive the unreality of our reality. This is the same in The Matrix and 1984. Throughout the film and the novel, there are clever little hints to the Allegory. The Allegory asserts the reality that  perceive is simulacra, and in the movie, Neo picks up a book called “Simulacra and Simulation” by Jade Baudrillard. In the film, the Party is a representation of the simulacrum, and Winston learns the truth from a book called The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism. Neo's awakening will lead to the salvation of humanity by a Christ-like figure. Others have picked out connections with Joseph Campbell's monomyth concept where the hero must depart from the familiar world, go into a netherworld and return morally transformed. Next, Morpheus says to Neo, “The Matrix is the wool that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.” Goldstein helps Winston in the novel, helping him realize the Party is in fact unreality. Indeed, the Matrix is to the film and the Party is to the novel as the sun is to the Allegory it enables all perception of reality, but hides the that reality isn’t necessarily real. Besides that, when Neo is exposed to the light, the other reality, for the first time, he squints. Winston is hesitant when he is exposed to the metaphorical light. This is much like Plato’s freed person being blinded by the enlightening sun. There is also the Platonic interpretation where the passage toward the light from the famous cave allegory is read into the awakening process of The Matrix: "The theme of appearance versus reality is as old as Plato’s Republic. And while perhaps no writer or artist has improved upon his cave allegory in presenting this theme, the Wachowski brothers’ The Matrix might be as effective an attempt as any since Plato, in cinematic history anyway" At first, neither Neo nor Winston are accepting of the true reality. But as they spend more time free and their eyes grow more accustomed to the light, they begins to accept the truth, much like Plato’s freed person. The final, most significant similarity occurs when Morpheus speaks to Neo, telling him that no one can be told what the matrix is, one has to experience it for him- or herself, as Plato’s freed person can’t tell others what reality is when the others have only seen unreality. Winston, on the other hand is told that trying to tell others is fruitless, and is rather quickly dragged back into the cave that is Airstrip One.



LIEW HENG YEE (1107526)